Ending the much talks and speculations on the middle-eastern carrier's expansion strategy in the African continent, Qatar Airways announced on Tuesday that it's acquiring a 25 percent stake in South African carrier Airlink.
Doha based Qatar Airways Chief Executive Badr Mohammed Al-Meer announced the investment alongside Airlink Chief Executive Rodger Foster at a press conference in the country's capital.
Not only this new acquisition, Qatar Airways group also owns minority stakes in British Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG), Latam Airlines, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways, and China Southern Airlines.
The strategic investment in the regional carrier Airlink, that operates to more than 45 destinations in 15 African countries, will now enhance a code-sharing partnership between the two airlines in a deal, which the Gulf carrier said will bolster its Africa growth strategy.
Qatar Airways is 100% owned by the Qatari government, and the carrier currently flies to 29 destinations in Africa, and there’s been strong growth in the market with new destinations added to the Qatar Airways network on the continent since December 2020. Abidjan, Abuja, Accra, Harare, Kano, Luanda, Lusaka, and Port Harcourt are the African cities newly added to the extensive Qatar Airways network, while Cairo and Alexandria were resumed.
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Qatar Airways is also in the process to acquire 49% stake in RwandAir after five years of negotiations. Once done, the new scenario will further increase Gulf carrier's presence in the heart of Africa and will enable Qatar Airways to expand its operations in East and Central Africa.
The Gulf airline has also invested US$1,3 billion into the development of Rwanda’s new Bugesera International Airport as part of a plan to see it into a regional aviation hub.
On the latest investment, Qatar Airways’ Group CEO, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said :
“Our investment in Airlink further demonstrates how integral we see Africa being to our business’ future. This partnership not only demonstrates our confidence in Airlink, as a company that is resilient, agile, financially robust and governed on sound principles, but also in Africa as a whole, showing huge potential.”
Airlink also released to press on this new development, that read,
The Qatar Airways Group has acquired a 25% stake in Southern Africa’s premier independent regional carrier, Airlink. The investment further cements Qatar Airways’ position as a key driver in realising economic and business potential on the African continent.
Airlink Chief Executive Rodger Foster said:
“Having Qatar Airways as an equity partner is a powerful endorsement of Airlink and echoes our faith in the markets we currently serve and plan to add to our network."
" This transaction will unlock growth by providing efficiencies of scale, increasing our capacity and expanding our marketing reach. By bolstering Airlink and its business, this investment will strengthen all of the existing airline partnerships Airlink has nurtured over the years.”
In a cooperation that started in June 2022, Qatar Airways and Airlink had signed a comprehensive codeshare agreement to offer customers with more choices, enhanced services and connectivity between 45 destinations in 13 countries across southern Africa and the rest of the world, during that period.
The enhanced partnership now, will also include an alignment between both carriers’ loyalty programmes, which are "Qatar Airways Privilege Club" and "Airlink Skybucks".
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